The problem with electrical blackouts caused a change in the purchasing pattern in Puerto Rico, according to the results of the 2023 Consumer Radiography study, commissioned by the Food Industry and Distribution Chamber of Marketing (MIDA).
Richard Valdés, president of the X-ray Committee, explained that, among the main findings, they found that 59 percent of those surveyed indicated that power outages have caused changes in the way they shop.
“Of that 59 percent, 62 percent say they are buying less with each purchase. By buying less, you are visiting the supermarket more times and apart from buying less, you are buying more products that are not from the fridge,” Valdés said at a press conference.
Among the people most affected are those with incomes of less than 25,000 dollars, PAN beneficiaries and residents of the Central-South Region of the Island.
“We see a concerned consumer, experiencing very difficult times. There are very strong qualifying adjectives as such. And when it comes to energy, the consumer tells you that he is buying every two days so as not to lose what he bought”, he mentioned.
The interviewees answered that refrigerator products, such as meat, they prefer to buy every three days, to avoid being damaged by blackouts. Other products, such as ice cream, have been limited to purchase.
The study does not contemplate the impact that an increase in the cost of electricity could have if the Debt Adjustment Plan of the Electric Power Authority that the Fiscal Control Board presented before Judge Laura Taylor Swain is approved.
“I dare to say that what is being seen in the Consumer X-ray is going to be marked more, it is going to get worse. If electric power rises, products are going to increase and we are going to see a consumer who is going to spend more than what they receive in income,” stated the president of MIDA, Joeyleen Quiñones.
The complete study of Consumer Radiography 2023 will be presented on the morning of Thursday, June 29, as part of the activities of the MIDA Conference & Food Show 2023. The activity constitutes the main event of the Food Industry in Puerto Rico, with 450 local and international exhibitors and is held from Thursday, June 29 to Saturday, July 1, at the Convention Center.
